Hello, my name is Chris McDonald. I am a 31-year-old primary school teacher and I live in Marple, which is just south of Manchester. I have two wonderful children and an equally wonderful wife. I started a blog last January to try and force me to read more. As I was reading an assortment of great crime books, an idea I’d had ten years ago at university came back to me, and I thought I’d have a go at getting it down on paper. It snowballed from there!
If you had to give an elevator pitch for A Wash of Black, what would it be?
IT'S NOT LIFE THAT IMITATES ART. IT'S DEATH.Anna Symons. Famous. Talented. Dead.
When the body of a famous actress is found mutilated on an ice rink in Manchester, recreating a scene from a blockbuster film she starred in years ago, DI Erika Piper must find the culprit; the media-dubbed ‘Blood Ice Killer.’ Having recently returned to work after suffering a near fatal attack herself, she must once again prove her worth. But when another body is found, and the killer issues a personal threat, Erika must put her demons aside and crack the case, or suffer the deadly consequences.
How did the title come about?
It’s working title was Neck Deep, for no other reason than I love the band. When I was searching for a quote to put at the start of the book (I love a good quote) relating to the story, this one from Da Vinci came up, and I thought it was perfect!
‘A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.’
